FILE 7: THE GHOST WARDEN PART 2

I left the next day for Seodaemun Prison. Mars gave me quite a lecture before I set off. There's quite a bit of money involved, after all.

I climbed onto a bus headed for Seodaemun-gu in Seoul. 

Following the map I was given, I headed to the haunted prison. It was sunset when I arrived, and the large prison loomed gloomily in the red sky.

I found that the gates had been left open. At last, I didn't need to break in, and I marched into the dusty yard.

There's not a person in sight. What, not even a guide?

I paced my way to the front and simply made my way inside the building. A strong wind blew as I pushed the rusty steel doors open.

I wrinkled my nose at the smell coming from inside. I paused as I tried to get used to the iron stench that portrayed old metal and old spilled blood. 

I wasn't keen, but I had no choice. I activated my SENSE. My eyesight, smell, and hearing got ten times better, and to my disgust, so did the stench. 

I was in the convict check-up and changing room. There were overturned tables and broken chairs.

I could make out a pile of rusted cuffs in the corner, but there were no 'lights' or odd sounds in the room, so I moved on.

I had to push really, and I mean really hard, on the door to get inside. I staggered in and fell over some benches and onto scattered chains. 

"Ouch! Dammit!" I yelled as my head slammed against the chains. "Could they not have cleaned the place up?" I whined as I rubbed my forehead.

Great, now I'm going to get a bruise that'll ruin my complexion. Grumbling, I continued to observe with my golden eyes. 

The annoying chains lay on the floor, as did the annoying benches I fell over, broken wooden boards, and a police helmet. Wow, cool. I think I'll take that home as a souvenir. 

I dusted myself off and used my SENSE. Nothing. Next, further, was a long hall that was filled with blood stains. Creeped out, I seriously had to ask Chun what was going on here.

All he told me was torture and brutality. But it looked more like a bloodbath. Or was there more to the story? I reached two large old steel doors, still chained and full of moss.

Didn't Chun unlock everything for me?

Annoyed, I kicked the doors, trying to force them open. Damn, I'm going to sweat again. I hate sweating. After a few kicks, the door cracked open. Oh, good.

Another few minutes of kicking, and there was an opening large enough for me to squeeze through. My eyes scanned the surroundings as I straightened up.

At last, I made it to the holding cells. And there were a lot. It felt like I was looking at infinite cell blocks. 

But let's get back on track. I scoured the place, looking and listening. No lights, but I did hear something that didn't belong in an abandoned building.

A small whisper. I strained my ears to hear. [Don't do it.] Something begged.

[Fine. Let's keep him instead,] a malicious whisper snickered.

I didn't like what I was hearing, so I scampered before anything could happen. 

I passed many cells. Some had blood inside them, some were completely barricaded, and one even had a full skeleton chained to the bed.

It made me wonder what was behind the barricades. I slipped in and out of the open cells, examining the rooms, but not finding much

 Only at two o'clock did something finally happen. I was bending over and looking under a bed when I heard giggling. It sounded like women gossiping.

Unenthusiastically, I got up and turned towards the chattering.

After all that searching, the 'lights' had appeared. They looked exactly as described by Chun. Small flickering balls of flame, except that they talked too much.

"Hello ladies, can I help you with something?" I said warily. The lights stopped chatting and glowed.

[Yes, you can,] one hissed. [Want to be our permanent friend?]

[Yeah yeah! Let's be friends forever,] another light snigger.

"No, thanks. I'm a lone wolf. Bye." I saluted and fled. I'm not an activist, except maybe I'll protest against ugliness, but heck no, I won't be a friend to dead activists.

They didn't chase me as I sped off, and I saw many lights start appearing in the building and more voices laughing and whispering all over. 

[Look at him, he's pretty.]

[I want him.]

[He's too young for you, but I'll take him.]

[He's better than all the previous ones, that's for sure.]

[Can't wait to let him in with the others.]

They all discussed me as I jogged towards the Warden's office. I guess I'm too handsome, even if the dead are after me. I knew I was perfect. A shame she couldn't see it.

I charged inside the Warden's office and slammed the door shut behind me. Before any of the lights could get inside, I quickly performed a spirit ward for protection, as my dad taught me. 

I heard shrieks of dismay when the lights found themselves barred from entering. I sighed in relief and slid to the floor, exhausted.

[That was amazing. Could you tell me how you did that?] inquired a deep voice from behind me. Aw, man. I'm tired. Can't ghosts stay quiet for just a few minutes?

Looking up, I saw a man that resembled Chun. Stocky, and with short grey hair, he had a stern but curious look in his eyes and wore the designated Warden uniform from the nineteen hundreds.

It was Chun's great-grandfather. I bowed. "My pleasure, Mister?"

[Warden Chun Beoksung. You are?] He was quite a gentleman. I liked this guy. "I'm Nathan McNeill. I'm known as an Otherworld Investigator.

You could say it's a form of exorcising ghosts and spirits. As for your question, I activated a barrier to keep out ghosts," I informed him. He cocked his head.

[What an odd line of work for a foreigner. Do you work for a clan?] Huh? A clan? 

"Sorry, but I'm not sure if I know what you mean by that," I replied in confusion. Old Chun frowned. [All exorcists work for clans. Are you telling me you're a rogue?]

He became agitated. Uh oh. I had to calm him down, or else I had an aggressive ghost on my hands. "Hold on. This is the twenty-first century. Things have changed. I'm self-employed! 

People do their own thing nowadays," I explained hurriedly. He looked surprised. Glancing at me up and down, he said, [I see. I gather from your appearance that what you are saying is true,] he acknowledged.

[Time went by faster than I thought. Do I have any descendants?] he inquired curiously.

"Well, as a matter of fact, the one who asked me to come was your great-grandson." The ghost's expression lit up. [So she survived. What does he do?]

She? Someone he knew? I guess they had a terrible time. "He's the owner of an art gallery," I answered. 

The Warden sighed. [Good. Our family had been in the Warden business for too long. It's great that they managed to become free from this burden. Now tell me, boy,]

Boy? I'm in my twenty-sixth year. [What are you going to do about them?] He pointed past my shoulder.

Ah, now that you mention it…